Cost of Living Comparison Between Arapiraca and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Arapiraca and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $799 per month in Arapiraca vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,257 per month in Arapiraca vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,715 per month in Arapiraca vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Arapiraca is about 8% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arapiraca and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Arapiraca 40% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.85 R$24.29

$1.94 ฿63.5

150.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.80 R$139

$18.64 ฿609

49.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 R$34.42

$7.82 ฿255

-12.02%

Cappuccino

$1.76 R$8.81

$1.95 ฿63.8

-9.74%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.15

$0.85 ฿27.77

-2.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 R$2.62

$0.35 ฿11.58

48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 R$7.42

$2.13 ฿69.6

-30.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 R$14.63

$3.73 ฿122

-21.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R$5.74

$1.71 ฿56.0

-32.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 R$7.01

$1.63 ฿53.2

-14.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.29

$1.14 ฿37.15

10.53%

Eggs

$2.35 R$11.76

$1.93 ฿63.1

21.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 R$34.36

$16.21 ฿530

-57.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 R$17.49

$3.12 ฿102

12.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.99 R$34.99

$10.90 ฿356

-35.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 R$10.86

$2.75 ฿90.0

-21.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.19

$1.21 ฿39.52

2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.59

$1.62 ฿53.0

-30.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.80

$1.59 ฿51.8

-1.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.46

$1.40 ฿45.70

-7.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 R$5.41

$1.17 ฿38.17

-7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 R$2.50

$0.66 ฿21.60

-24.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 R$3.55

$0.53 ฿17.22

33.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.66 R$8.29

$4.69 ฿153

-64.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 R$40.56

$18.66 ฿609

-56.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$5.96

$1.80 ฿58.8

-33.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 R$7.98

$3.23 ฿106

-50.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.28

$0.90 ฿29.26

-4.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.07 R$196

$19.21 ฿628

103.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R$5.73

$1.41 ฿45.91

-18.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 R$3.09

$1.29 ฿42.12

-51.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 R$17.95

$7.84 ฿256

-54.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.44

$1.27 ฿41.58

-14.17%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$16.3K R$81.6K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-23.41%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.3K R$111.7K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

0.47%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$71.5 R$358

$69.1 ฿2,256

3.49%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$16.17 R$80.9

$14.08 ฿460

14.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.87 R$84.4

$18.00 ฿588

-6.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.23 R$111

$41.06 ฿1,341

-45.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.57 R$108

$6.96 ฿227

209.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.26 R$31.31

$5.92 ฿193

5.74%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$259 R$1,298

$299 ฿9,766

-13.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,414 R$32.1K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-57.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.03 R$215

$54.7 ฿1,787

-21.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 R$258

$26.77 ฿874

92.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 R$415

$85.0 ฿2,776

-2.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 R$387

$70.6 ฿2,306

9.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 R$1,567

$428 ฿14.0K

-26.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 R$1,086

$237 ฿7,752

-8.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 R$2,877

$801 ฿26.2K

-28.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 R$2,174

$515 ฿16.8K

-15.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,547 R$7,741

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-21.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,023 R$5,118

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-30.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

200.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Arapiraca: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $313 in Arapiraca versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arapiraca versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Arapiraca vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Arapiraca wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Arapiraca vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $799 in Arapiraca, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 8% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,199 per month in Arapiraca and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arapiraca, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $259 per month in Arapiraca and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $799 in Arapiraca and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $799 in Arapiraca to $866 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arapiraca. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.